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भीम उवाच॥
Bhīma said:
श्रोत्रियस्येव ते राजन्मन्दकस्याविपश्चितः। अनुवाकहताबुद्धिर्नैषा तत्त्वार्थदर्शिनी ॥१२-१०-१॥
O king, just as a Vedic scholar, for your dull-witted and unwise person whose intellect is dulled by repetition, this does not perceive the true meaning.
आलस्ये कृतचित्तस्य राजधर्मानसूयतः। विनाशे धार्तराष्ट्राणां किं फलं भरतर्षभ ॥१२-१०-२॥
O best of the Bharatas, what benefit is there in the destruction of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, for one whose mind is fixed in laziness and who does not envy the kingly duties?
क्षमानुकम्पा कारुण्यमानृशंस्यं न विद्यते। क्षात्रमाचरतो मार्गमपि बन्धोस्त्वदन्तरे ॥१२-१०-३॥
Qualities like forbearance, compassion, mercy, and kindness are absent; even the path of a warrior is not followed in the absence of a relative like you.
यदीमां भवतो बुद्धिं विद्याम वयमीदृशीम्। शस्त्रं नैव ग्रहीष्यामो न वधिष्याम कञ्चन ॥१२-१०-४॥
If we truly understood your intention in this way, we would not take up arms, nor would we kill anyone.
भैक्ष्यमेवाचरिष्याम शरीरस्या विमोक्षणात्। न चेदं दारुणं युद्धमभविष्यन्महीक्षिताम् ॥१२-१०-५॥
If this dreadful battle among the kings had not occurred, I would have lived by alms alone before giving up my body.
प्राणस्यान्नमिदं सर्वमिति वै कवयो विदुः। स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव सर्वं प्राणस्य भोजनम् ॥१२-१०-६॥
The wise know that everything here is food for prāṇa (the life-force). Both immobile and mobile beings, all are nourishment for prāṇa.
आददानस्य चेद्राज्यं ये केचित्परिपन्थिनः। हन्तव्यास्त इति प्राज्ञाः क्षत्रधर्मविदो विदुः ॥१२-१०-७॥
The wise who know the kṣatriya duty declare that if anyone opposes the one seizing the kingdom, such opponents are to be slain.
ते सदोषा हतास्माभी राज्यस्य परिपन्थिनः। तान्हत्वा भुङ्क्ष्व धर्मेण युधिष्ठिर महीमिमाम् ॥१२-१०-८॥
Those enemies of the kingdom, being at fault, have been slain by us. Having killed them, Yudhishthira, enjoy this earth righteously.
यथा हि पुरुषः खात्वा कूपमप्राप्य चोदकम्। पङ्कदिग्धो निवर्तेत कर्मेदं नस्तथोपमम् ॥१२-१०-९॥
Just as a man, after digging a well and not finding water, returns covered in mud, so too is this our action—such is the comparison.
यथारुह्य महावृक्षमपहृत्य ततो मधु। अप्राश्य निधनं गच्छेत्कर्मेदं नस्तथोपमम् ॥१२-१०-१०॥
Just as one climbs a great tree, takes honey from it, and departs without tasting it, so is this action of ours—such is the comparison.
यथा महान्तमध्वानमाशया पुरुषः पतन्। स निराशो निवर्तेत कर्मेदं नस्तथोपमम् ॥१२-१०-११॥
Just as a man, having set out hopefully on a long road but falling, turns back in despair, so too is this our action—such is the comparison.
यथा शत्रून्घातयित्वा पुरुषः कुरुसत्तम। आत्मानं घातयेत्पश्चात्कर्मेदं नस्तथाविधम् ॥१२-१०-१२॥
O best of the Kurus, just as a man, after killing his enemies, would then kill himself, so is this act of ours of such a nature.
यथान्नं क्षुधितो लब्ध्वा न भुञ्जीत यदृच्छया। कामी च कामिनीं लब्ध्वा कर्मेदं नस्तथाविधम् ॥१२-१०-१३॥
Just as a hungry person, even after obtaining food by chance, should not eat, and a desirous man, even after obtaining a desirable woman, (so) this action of ours is of such a kind.
वयमेवात्र गर्ह्या हि ये वयं मन्दचेतसः। त्वां राजन्ननुगच्छामो ज्येष्ठोऽयमिति भारत ॥१२-१०-१४॥
O Bhārata, we are truly to be blamed here, for we, being dull-minded, follow you, O king, simply because 'he is the elder.'
वयं हि बाहुबलिनः कृतविद्या मनस्विनः। क्लीबस्य वाक्ये तिष्ठामो यथैवाशक्तयस्तथा ॥१२-१०-१५॥
We, who are strong, learned, and high-minded, are standing by the words of a weakling just as powerless people would.
अगतीन्कागतीनस्मान्नष्टार्थानर्थसिद्धये। कथं वै नानुपश्येयुर्जनाः पश्यन्ति यादृशम् ॥१२-१०-१६॥
How could people not perceive and see such as this: those without movement, those with movement like a crow, us, and those who have lost purpose, for the attainment of purpose?
आपत्काले हि संन्यासः कर्तव्य इति शिष्यते। जरयाभिपरीतेन शत्रुभिर्व्यंसितेन च ॥१२-१०-१७॥
It is taught that in times of calamity, one should indeed undertake renunciation. When overpowered by old age and destroyed by enemies.
तस्मादिह कृतप्रज्ञास्त्यागं न परिचक्षते। धर्मव्यतिक्रमं चेदं मन्यन्ते सूक्ष्मदर्शिनः ॥१२-१०-१८॥
Therefore, here, the wise do not declare renunciation; and those who are subtle-minded consider this as a transgression of dharma.
कथं तस्मात्समुत्पन्नस्तन्निष्ठस्तदुपाश्रयः। तदेव निन्दन्नासीत श्रद्धा वान्यत्र गृह्यते ॥१२-१०-१९॥
How does one who has arisen from that, is established in that, and depends on that, yet criticize that alone? Faith is taken elsewhere.
श्रियाविहीनैरधनैर्नास्तिकैः सम्प्रवर्तितम्। वेदवादस्य विज्ञानं सत्याभासमिवानृतम् ॥१२-१०-२०॥
The knowledge of the doctrine of the Veda, propagated by those deprived of prosperity, the poor, and atheists, is a semblance of truth, like falsehood.
शक्यं तु मौण्ड्यमास्थाय बिभ्रतात्मानमात्मना। धर्मच्छद्म समास्थाय आसितुं न तु जीवितुम् ॥१२-१०-२१॥
But one may, by adopting the appearance of a shaven head and the guise of dharma, sustain oneself for a while, but not truly live.
शक्यं पुनररण्येषु सुखमेकेन जीवितुम्। अबिभ्रता पुत्रपौत्रान्देवर्षीनतिथीन्पितॄन् ॥१२-१०-२२॥
It is indeed possible to live happily alone in the forests, without the burden of caring for sons, grandsons, divine sages, guests, and ancestors.
नेमे मृगाः स्वर्गजितो न वराहा न पक्षिणः। अथैतेन प्रकारेण पुण्यमाहुर्न ताञ्जनाः ॥१२-१०-२३॥
It is not these deer, nor the heaven-conquering ones, nor boars, nor birds; but it is by this method that merit is said to be attained, not by those people.
यदि संन्यासतः सिद्धिं राजन्कश्चिदवाप्नुयात्। पर्वताश्च द्रुमाश्चैव क्षिप्रं सिद्धिमवाप्नुयुः ॥१२-१०-२४॥
O king, if anyone could attain perfection merely by renunciation, then even mountains and trees would quickly attain perfection.
एते हि नित्यसंन्यासा दृश्यन्ते निरुपद्रवाः। अपरिग्रहवन्तश्च सततं चात्मचारिणः ॥१२-१०-२५॥
These, indeed, are perpetual renouncers, seen as free from disturbance, possessing non-acceptance, and always self-governed.
अथ चेदात्मभाग्येषु नान्येषां सिद्धिमश्नुते। तस्मात्कर्मैव कर्तव्यं नास्ति सिद्धिरकर्मणः ॥१२-१०-२६॥
Now, if one does not attain success in the fortunes of others, therefore only action should be performed; there is no success for the inactive.
औदकाः सृष्टयश्चैव जन्तवः सिद्धिमाप्नुयुः। येषामात्मैव भर्तव्यो नान्यः कश्चन विद्यते ॥१२-१०-२७॥
Aquatic beings and other creatures may attain perfection if for them only the self is to be maintained, and no other exists.
अवेक्षस्व यथा स्वैः स्वैः कर्मभिर्व्यापृतं जगत्। तस्मात्कर्मैव कर्तव्यं नास्ति सिद्धिरकर्मणः ॥१२-१०-२८॥
Observe how the world is engaged in its own actions; therefore, one should act, for there is no success in inaction.
